The Blackthorn Queen by Melanie Karsak EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Author: Melanie Karsak
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Fantasy Fiction
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
Moonlight shimmered on the black waters of the River Ure. The ambercolored torchlight that illuminated the funeral barge flickered on the
waves. The drums beat rhythmically, their mournful sound echoing the
lament in my heart, as we accompanied the king consort—my father—on
his final journey.
My mother, her hair unbound, knelt beside Volixus, his cold hand in
hers.
She wept softly.
I stood at the back of the barge, one hand squeezing the rail, and eyed
the party waiting for us at the dock ahead. White-robed priestesses of
Brigantia and black-robed daughters of the Cailleach waited with the
people.
They had all come to the Three Sisters Henge to see my father make his
final passage.
While my mother, Morfudd, was the queen of the Brigantes, my father
had been her loyal consort since they were young. Morfudd was the
beautiful queen of the Brigantes. My father’s wit and cunning had kept the
crown safe. His shrewdness helped us avoid war when we could and defeat
our enemies when we could not. My mother had the blood of kings, but my
father had been the mind behind it all.
Now, he was gone.
The Brigantes had lost their true ruler.
And I had lost my most beloved parent and guide.
“You’re holding your breath,” Ystradwel whispered from beside me.
Ystradwel’s tribe, the Setantii, had once been independent. Her father
had grown bold and sought to make war on the Brigantes. Hoping to chip
off some of our coast for himself, he’d quickly found himself on the wrong
end of my father’s blade. The Setantii were soundly defeated, their land and
tribe absorbed. Now, they were part of the Brigantes.
Ystradwel had been sent to me to be my maid. My father had arranged
it, taking the former king of the Setantii’s only child into our home. They
said it was done to help mend the relationship between our families, but my
father also knew it kept the Setantii leashed. Luckily for us, their tribe had
accepted their defeat and hadn’t made an overture of rebellion again. But
holding their only royal heir hostage didn’t hurt.
The arrangement made Ystradwel despise me.
She hid her contempt behind a mask of righteousness and perfection,
never missing an opportunity to chide me for my faults. She was a perfect
princess—not that she was permitted to keep the title. In her eyes, I was a
forever-failing future queen. Apparently, I could not even breathe properly.
“I’m fine,” I retorted dryly, plastering on as still an expression as I could
muster
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